Details
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Article number | 171631 |
| Journal | Science of the Total Environment |
| Volume | 924 |
| Early online date | 11 Mar 2024 |
| Publication status | Published - 10 May 2024 |
Abstract
Soil acidification is an ongoing problem in intensively cultivated croplands due to inefficient nitrogen (N) fertilization. We collected high-resolution data comprising 19,969 topsoil (0-20 cm) samples from the Land Use and Coverage Area frame Survey (LUCAS) of the European commission in 2009 to calculate the impact of N fertilization on buffering substances such as carbonates and base cations. We have only considered the impacts of mineral fertilizers from the total added N, and a N use efficiency of 60 %. Nitrogen fertilization adds annually 6.1 × 10 7 kmol H + to European croplands, leading to annual loss of 6.1 × 10 9 kg CaCO 3. Assuming similar acidification during the last 50 years, carbonates were completely removed from 3.4 × 10 6 ha of European croplands. In carbonate-free soils, annual loss of 2.1 × 10 7 kmol of basic cations will lead to strong acidification of at least 2.6 million ha of European croplands within the next 50 years. Inorganic carbon and basic cation losses at such rapid scale tremendously drop the nutrient status and production potential of croplands. Soil liming to ameliorate acidity increases pH only temporarily and with additional financial and environmental costs. Only the direct loss of soil carbonate stocks and compensation of carbonates-related CO 2 correspond to about 1.5 % of the proposed budget of the European commission for 2023. Thus, controlling and decreasing soil acidification is crucial to avoid degradation of agricultural soils, which can be done by adopting best management practices and increasing nutrient use efficiency. Regular screening or monitoring of carbonate and base cations contents, especially for soils, where the carbonate stocks are at critical levels are urgently necessary.
Keywords
- Carbon cycle, Food security, Global changes, Land management, Land-use sustainability
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Environmental Science(all)
- Pollution
- Environmental Science(all)
- Waste Management and Disposal
- Environmental Science(all)
- Environmental Engineering
- Environmental Science(all)
- Environmental Chemistry
Sustainable Development Goals
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In: Science of the Total Environment, Vol. 924, 171631, 10.05.2024.
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Research › peer review
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Acidification of European croplands by nitrogen fertilization
T2 - Consequences for carbonate losses, and soil health
AU - Zamanian, Kazem
AU - Taghizadeh-Mehrjardi, Ruhollah
AU - Tao, Jingjing
AU - Fan, Lichao
AU - Raza, Sajjad
AU - Guggenberger, Georg
AU - Kuzyakov, Yakov
N1 - This work was supported by German Research Foundation [grant number: DFG, ZA 1068/4]; Ministry of Science and Culture of Lower-Saxony, Germany [grant number: 15-76251-2—Stay-8/22-5947/2022]; National Natural Science Foundation of China [42150410386] and RUDN University [Strategic Academic Leadership Program].
PY - 2024/5/10
Y1 - 2024/5/10
N2 - Soil acidification is an ongoing problem in intensively cultivated croplands due to inefficient nitrogen (N) fertilization. We collected high-resolution data comprising 19,969 topsoil (0-20 cm) samples from the Land Use and Coverage Area frame Survey (LUCAS) of the European commission in 2009 to calculate the impact of N fertilization on buffering substances such as carbonates and base cations. We have only considered the impacts of mineral fertilizers from the total added N, and a N use efficiency of 60 %. Nitrogen fertilization adds annually 6.1 × 10 7 kmol H + to European croplands, leading to annual loss of 6.1 × 10 9 kg CaCO 3. Assuming similar acidification during the last 50 years, carbonates were completely removed from 3.4 × 10 6 ha of European croplands. In carbonate-free soils, annual loss of 2.1 × 10 7 kmol of basic cations will lead to strong acidification of at least 2.6 million ha of European croplands within the next 50 years. Inorganic carbon and basic cation losses at such rapid scale tremendously drop the nutrient status and production potential of croplands. Soil liming to ameliorate acidity increases pH only temporarily and with additional financial and environmental costs. Only the direct loss of soil carbonate stocks and compensation of carbonates-related CO 2 correspond to about 1.5 % of the proposed budget of the European commission for 2023. Thus, controlling and decreasing soil acidification is crucial to avoid degradation of agricultural soils, which can be done by adopting best management practices and increasing nutrient use efficiency. Regular screening or monitoring of carbonate and base cations contents, especially for soils, where the carbonate stocks are at critical levels are urgently necessary.
AB - Soil acidification is an ongoing problem in intensively cultivated croplands due to inefficient nitrogen (N) fertilization. We collected high-resolution data comprising 19,969 topsoil (0-20 cm) samples from the Land Use and Coverage Area frame Survey (LUCAS) of the European commission in 2009 to calculate the impact of N fertilization on buffering substances such as carbonates and base cations. We have only considered the impacts of mineral fertilizers from the total added N, and a N use efficiency of 60 %. Nitrogen fertilization adds annually 6.1 × 10 7 kmol H + to European croplands, leading to annual loss of 6.1 × 10 9 kg CaCO 3. Assuming similar acidification during the last 50 years, carbonates were completely removed from 3.4 × 10 6 ha of European croplands. In carbonate-free soils, annual loss of 2.1 × 10 7 kmol of basic cations will lead to strong acidification of at least 2.6 million ha of European croplands within the next 50 years. Inorganic carbon and basic cation losses at such rapid scale tremendously drop the nutrient status and production potential of croplands. Soil liming to ameliorate acidity increases pH only temporarily and with additional financial and environmental costs. Only the direct loss of soil carbonate stocks and compensation of carbonates-related CO 2 correspond to about 1.5 % of the proposed budget of the European commission for 2023. Thus, controlling and decreasing soil acidification is crucial to avoid degradation of agricultural soils, which can be done by adopting best management practices and increasing nutrient use efficiency. Regular screening or monitoring of carbonate and base cations contents, especially for soils, where the carbonate stocks are at critical levels are urgently necessary.
KW - Carbon cycle
KW - Food security
KW - Global changes
KW - Land management
KW - Land-use sustainability
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85187778041&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.171631
DO - 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.171631
M3 - Article
C2 - 38467254
VL - 924
JO - Science of the Total Environment
JF - Science of the Total Environment
SN - 0048-9697
M1 - 171631
ER -